Consistency
by ohwhatsherface
Summary: Nine times Sasuke says 'thank you' and doesn't mean it.


**Consistency**

written by: ohwhatsherface

-

i.

You are five-years-old when you first meet her.

You are a child and you are happy and you are playful and you are innocent because no blood has been shed before your eyes. You admire your brother, you love your mother the most, and you want nothing more than to prove your worth to your father.

You and your mother are at the market. You are bored because you would much rather be _training_ than shopping with your mother.

Something hits your foot lightly and you look down.

There is a tomato. It is big and shiny and red and firm. You pick it up and look around to try and find whoever dropped it. You see a small girl with obnoxious pink hair picking some other vegetables up and putting them in a bag. Her mother is speaking to a vendor and does not notice that the pink-haired girl has dropped her stuff.

You walk over to her and when she stands up, you shove the tomato under her nose.

She blinks in surprise and almost recoils fearfully, but then smiles at you shyly.

"I… You can keep it!" she says, picking her stuff up and taking a step away.

You blink and your mother comes to get you, asking about what just happened but goes ignored.

You speak to no one because the girl is already gone.

"Thank you."

_I like tomatoes…_

ii.

You are eight-years-old and you are nervous because Iruka-sensei just said there was a pop quiz and you don't know anything because rather than reviewing your notes like some other kids may have, you were going further with your fire techniques to please your father.

The girl with the big forehead and cute pink hair is sitting next to you because Iruka-sensei put her there.

You may be the best in your class, but even you can admit that in the matters of knowledge, she is better.

You stare at your test paper blankly as she scribbles her answers in neatly and quickly and correctly and _perfectly_, and then a few minutes into everything, she is already finished while you still haven't done anything at all.

You inwardly curse even though you're eight because you are an Uchiha and you are supposed to be perfect—

Her test paper moves slightly in your direction in a subtle manner.

You almost scoff at her offer to let you cheat off of her but don't because you can't look _bad_…

Sakura looks forward at nothing like she always does after her tests and you carefully copy down her answers onto your sheet.

'Thank you.'

_I need to be perfect._

iii.

You are thirteen and you are hell bent on revenge.

Nothing can change that now. You are vengeful and you are cursed and you are alone in the world and no one can save you. Orochimaru is offering you power and you are willing to take it if it means making you strong enough to kill Itachi and avenge your clan. He took your mother and your father and _everyone_.

You are about to leave the village but you have one last obstacle in your way.

"I love you so much!"

Her words stir something in your chest but you ignore it because she might be able to make you stay and if you stay you won't get stronger and if you don't get stronger than Itachi will be left alive and the clan will not be avenged.

"If you stay with me, I'll make sure you won't regret it!" she says. She pleads with you while crying. You can't see her, but she's Sakura so you know for a fact that she is crying. "Everyday will be fun. We'll definitely be happy. I'll do anything for you!"

Part of you wants to agree with her and just stay behind. You can take up her offer and be as happy as Sakura can make you but the happiness is limited because you can never be truly happy unless you find some closure over your brother.

"So please! Stay here! I'll help you with your revenge! I'll do something! So please stay here… with me! If you can't stay, take me with you."

You turn your head back to look at her and ready yourself with a stoic and annoyed expression on your face so that she would just _let you go_.

"You really _are_ annoying."

She gasps and looks back brokenly but you act like you don't care. It's not that hard to do considering how you always act like you don't care when in reality, you really do.

"Don't leave!" Sakura yells. "If you do, I'll scream!"

You need to go.

In an instant, you are behind her and she freezes because she can feel the warmth of your breath on her neck and how smothering your presence is.

"Sakura…"

You almost bite your lip but don't before you knock her out and catch her into your arms before placing her gently on the bench next to you and leave.

"Thank you."

_For everything…_

iv.

You are on the border seventeen and you feel like absolute shit.

Your body hurts and you feel like you can barely see. Your head is spinning and you can no longer think coherently. You know that this is the end and think that this is a rather fitting one for a traitor like you.

Quietly, despite how abnormal it is, you mourn the lives you lead to death. You mourn Suigetsu and Karin and Juugo who helped you achieve your goal but all still lost their lives in the process.

You deserve to die too, you believe.

You have one thing that let's you die in peace and that is the knowledge that you managed to kill Itachi.

You also mourn your _other_ team. You lament over Naruto and Kakashi and Sakura and all the things that could have been—

"Kakashi-sempai!" a female voice shouts. "He's still alive!"

You open your eyes despite the fact that your body doesn't want to and you are greeted with another thing that will allow you to die peacefully.

"Sakura…" you mutter, your voice hoarse.

"Sasuke-kun!" With a professionalism you don't quite remember Sakura having, she works. As you close your eyes once again and drift your way into unconsciousness, you sense the gentle, soothing feel of her healing your broken and battered body. "You're gonna be okay, Sasuke-kun. I'm just healing you…"

You barely hear her but you manage to get a few words out.

"Thank you…"

_You found me…_

v.

You are nineteen and much of the village still does not trust you.

That fact truly means nothing to you.

Nowadays, you busy yourself with completing mission after mission.

One night, you return to the village and as usual, ignore the mandatory rule of going straight to the hospital. You were slightly cut by your enemy when you were fighting and now your head is spinning and your eyes are dropping and you are lazily leaning against Sakura's apartment door while knocking.

She opens up and you immediately fall on her.

You berate yourself for being stupid enough to get hurt and get poisoned and thus have to go see Sakura to heal you.

She panics and curses and _heals_ and finishes and afterwards, yells at you like there is no tomorrow.

"How could you have been so _stupid_, Sasuke-kun?! You could have—"

You are still rather weak so you have no choice but to listen. You lean into her, putting your head on her shoulder. You inhale deeply and breathe in her sweet scent, reveling in how it is calming your senses and helping you drift to rest.

'Thank you_.'_

_For caring so much._

vi.

You are almost twenty-one when you propose to her.

You have made compromise with Tsunade's rule about going to the hospital after missions by going straight to Sakura because she is_Sakura_ and you know that she would never ever turn _you_ down, no matter what.

You are sitting on her bed as she wraps a bandage after a wound your ribs. Your arms are raised and you are beginning to get tired from your position.

She finishes and ties a knot in the bandage. Once done with you, she begins to put her materials away.

"I need to restore my clan," you tell her nonchalantly. "And to do so I will need a wife."

She pauses briefly but quickly resumes what she is doing with an air of annoyance. When Sakura is done putting things away, she turns around and glares at you with her hands on her hips, defiantly and dauntingly.

"And am I to assume you want _me_ to be your wife?"

You obviously annoyed her with how you asked so you swallow and ignore your pride for once.

"Marry me…?"

"I…"

She swallows and then looks down as pink tints her cheeks. After a moment, she raises her head and _smiles_ and you've never seen anything so beautiful. She leaps onto you and holds you tightly despite having had just healed your ribs.

"Of course!"

Since she can't see you, you smile.

"Thank you."

_I will take care of you._

vii.

You are twenty-two when you are both finally married.

It was a quiet ceremony with only a few people invited because that is how you both wanted it.

Now it is night and you are consummating your marriage.

"I love you…" she says even though she knows you won't reply.

You two are taking a break from said consummation because you are tired and sated and spent. Your lips trail down the soft skin of her sensitive neck as she mewls pleasurably. You let out a soft hiss when she all but gently tugs at your hair.

"Mm…"

Sakura rests her cheek on your chest and slowly begins to fall asleep.

When she is surely slumbering, you brush your thumb across her delicate face and kiss her.

"Thank you."

_I can make you happy._

viii.

You are twenty-four when you become a father.

As terrifying as the terror of it is, you are still grateful.

Your son is small but healthy. He is red and tiny and fragile and you're scared to touch him because you fear that you will taint him. He fits into your arms perfectly as he rests his head of dark hair against you and you wait for him to finally open his eyes so you know the color.

"Your clan is restored…"

You turn around and see Sakura watching you sleepily as the drugs begin to wear.

"You're welcome."

"Thank you."

_I think—_

Your son stirs in your arms and his eyes flutter open. You are met with a set of eyes much like your wife's and you almost smile at the boy.

You look back at Sakura, who is dozing off and repeat yourself to her.

"Thank you."

—_I love you_.

-


End file.
